Peppered Moray

Photo: © Nyi Nyi Aung · CC BY-NC

Spotted with white speckling on a dark background, this large moray is common in the shallower sections of Dubai's artificial reefs where it occupies cavities between concrete blocks. It is a nocturnal hunter that emerges to pursue crabs and small fish across the open reef at night, and its dentition is adapted for gripping slippery prey rather than cutting. Cooperative hunting behaviour with roving grouper has been documented on Gulf reefs, with the grouper guiding the moray to flush hidden prey.